Short answer: the Polk Reserve R500 for better sound quality, the Definitive Technology BP-9020 for the lower price. The Polk Reserve R500 ranks #28 of 56 floorstanding speakers at $699. The Definitive Technology BP-9020 ranks #31 at $500, $199 cheaper.
What the Polk Reserve R500 offers: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Watch for: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble.
On the Definitive Technology BP-9020 side: Integrated powered 8” side-firing subwoofer with a 150-watt Class D amplifier provides exceptional sub-bass extension down to an F3 of 35Hz and F10 of 29Hz without requiring a standalone subwoofer enclosure. Set against that: Significant high-frequency boost creates notable treble brightness and noticeable sibilance on vocal s-sounds.
Buy the Polk Reserve R500 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Definitive Technology BP-9020 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Reserve R500 | Definitive Technology BP-9020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699.00 | $500.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #28 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #31 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 29Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) | 35.3"H x 11"W x 13"D (895.4 x 279.4 x 330.2 mm) |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87.7dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter | 1 in. annealed aluminum dome tweeter, two 3.5 in. BDSS midrange (front), one 3.5 in. BDSS midrange (rear), 8 in. powered subwoofer |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each | 30 lbs / 13.6 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, slot |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Linkwitz Lab LXmini vs Infinity Primus 360
- ELAC DF63 vs Linkwitz Lab LXmini
- ELAC DF63 vs Infinity Primus 360
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Linkwitz Lab LXmini
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs Infinity Primus 360
The Two Speakers In Full
Polk Reserve R500: $699.00 Amazon
Pros: Dual 5.25” midwoofers paired with a ring radiator tweeter in a floorstanding tower design. Surprisingly neutral overall compared to Polk’s smaller bookshelf models - notably more even-handed than the brighter-sounding R200 the reviewer tested previously. Good linearity on-axis, within about -3/+2dB. Sensitivity close to 86dB, easily driven to adequate levels in a small-to-medium room with a 100W-capable amplifier. Takes very well to EQ - a single band of correction (about a 2dB cut around 4-5kHz) resolves the main tonal issue and transforms the sound. Dynamic range and compression performance is solidly “medium,” holding up fine through about 20dB of level increase before higher-frequency and bass output start to taper at extreme volumes.
Cons: A bump around 4-6kHz gives a “shouty,” mildly sibilant quality in the lower treble. Counterintuitively, toeing the speaker out to reduce brightness makes this worse rather than better, since the ring-radiator tweeter’s directivity narrows rapidly above about 6-7kHz - pointed on-axis retains enough top-end air to balance the bump, but toed away that air drops off and the shoutiness stands out more. Bass is adequate for its 5.25” woofers but lacks real weight below about 40-50Hz; a subwoofer is still needed for movies and bass-heavy music. A cabinet resonance around 160-170Hz subtracts from rather than adds boom to the mid-bass region. Vertical listening window is fairly narrow - sitting more than about 10-20° above or below the tweeter axis causes a suckout in the 2-5kHz range, reducing clarity and attack. Multitone distortion ramps up noticeably around 1kHz, and crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t meaningfully reduce it - likely a surround-related effect rather than excursion-related. Without applying corrective EQ, the reviewer says the 4-6kHz brightness would make it harder to live with day to day.
Full Polk Reserve R500 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 33Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 40.3"H x 6.8"W x 12.4"D (1023.6 x 172.7 x 315 mm) |
| Drivers | Two 5.25" Turbine Cone woofer, 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator tweeter |
| Impedance | 4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 8 ohms nominal per manufacturer) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 39.2 lbs / 17.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Reserve R500 vs ELAC DF63
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Linkwitz Lab LXmini
- Polk Reserve R500 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Infinity Primus 360
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Klipsch Forte IV
- Polk Reserve R500 vs Emotiva Airmotiv T2+
- See all 15 comparisons
Definitive Technology BP-9020: $500.00 Discontinued
Pros: Integrated powered 8” side-firing subwoofer with a 150-watt Class D amplifier provides exceptional sub-bass extension down to an F3 of 35Hz and F10 of 29Hz without requiring a standalone subwoofer enclosure. Forward-Focused Bipolar Array technology (dual 3.5” front midrange drivers + 1” annealed aluminum dome tweeter, plus a 3.5” rear-firing midrange driver) creates a remarkably wide, spacious soundstage with broad room envelopment. On-axis frequency response stays smooth and relatively neutral when listened to directly aligned with the tweeter. Measured average sensitivity of 87.7dB SPL (2.83V/1m) allows comfortable drive from standard multi-channel receivers.
Cons: Significant high-frequency boost creates notable treble brightness and noticeable sibilance on vocal s-sounds. Bipolar rear driver radiation creates a diffuse soundstage that compromises razor-sharp imaging focus and pinpoint instrument placement. DSP-based internal limiter aggressively compresses output below 80Hz at higher listening levels, causing lower mid-bass and sub-bass impact to diminish as volume increases. Midrange clarity shows slight ‘cuppiness’ and upper-frequency directivity irregularities due to front/rear driver interaction. Discontinued.
Full Definitive Technology BP-9020 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 35.3"H x 11"W x 13"D (895.4 x 279.4 x 330.2 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1 in. annealed aluminum dome tweeter, two 3.5 in. BDSS midrange (front), one 3.5 in. BDSS midrange (rear), 8 in. powered subwoofer |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 87.7dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 30 lbs / 13.6 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, slot |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs Infinity Primus 360
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs Klipsch Forte IV
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs Klipsch Heresy IV
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs ELAC DF63
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs KEF Q11 Meta
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs PSB Imagine T65
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- Definitive Technology BP-9020 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- See all 13 comparisons